The invention relates to a method of configuring infotainment applications in a motor vehicle.
From German Patent document DE 100 44 917 A1, a method is known for utilizing functions and performance characteristics in a motor vehicle, wherein the vehicle is constructed with respect to the hardware for utilizing all functions with maximal performance characteristics, wherein, with respect to the software, functions can be blocked and/or performance characteristics can be limited, whereby a user of a motor vehicle can temporarily or durably request functions or performance characteristics which will then be temporarily or durably cleared with respect to the software.
From WO 02/17184 A1, a “Total Fleet Logistics” system is known. This system permits the implementation of a vehicle diagnosis, a vehicle monitoring, a vehicle configuration and a vehicle programming, for example, by a fleet operator via the Internet.
However, no satisfactory solutions for the configuration of infotainment applications in motor vehicles of a multi-vehicle fleet arrangement are known from the state of the art. As a rule, the methods known for this purpose are limited to written instructions of the fleet operator to the users of the individual fleet vehicles.
It is an object of the invention to provide an improved method for the configuration of infotainment applications in the motor vehicles of a vehicle fleet.
This and other objects are achieved by a method of configuring infotainment applications in a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of (a) providing a motor vehicle having at least one infotainment application and having a control unit which participates in the at least one infotainment application, (b) providing a configuration interface of the control unit, by way of which the control unit can be configured such that the functional scope and/or a basic setting of the infotainment application is changed, (c) providing a first configuration data server, which is arranged at the motor vehicle, is separate from the control unit with respect to equipment and has a pertaining first configuration data bank for the vehicle-related storage of configuration data, (d) providing a service center stationarily arranged at a distance from the motor vehicle and having a second configuration data server arranged there and a second configuration data bank for the central storage of configuration data, (e) providing a wireless communication connection between the first and the second configuration data server, (f) providing a first modification interface by way of which configuration data of the second configuration data bank can be modified by means of first access rights, (g) providing a second Internet-based modification interface by way of which configuration data of the second configuration data bank can be modified by means of second access rights which differ from the first access rights, (h) recognizing modifications of the configuration data of the second configuration data bank, (i) changing of configuration data of the first configuration data bank by way of the wireless communication connection by use of configuration data from the second configuration data bank, and (j) changing the functional scope and/or a basic setting of the infotainment application by way of the configuration interface of the control unit by use of configuration data from the first configuration data bank.
On the part of the motor vehicle, the basis is a motor vehicle having at least one infotainment application and having a control unit which participates in the at least one infotainment application. In connection with a motor vehicle, the term “infotainment” should be understood as covering the areas of information, communication and entertainment. An infotainment application of a motor vehicle therefore represents applications in connection with navigation, telephone, telematics, radio, audio, video, email, Internet, as well as future further developments, supplements to and/or substitutions for such applications.
The control unit participating in the at least one infotainment application has a configuration interface by way of which it can be configured such that the functional scope and/or a basic setting of the infotainment application is changed. A change of the functional scope of the infotainment application may consist, for example, of the clearing of a navigation function, of the clearing of an Intranet service or of the clearing of a TV function also when the motor vehicle is being driven. A change of a basic setting of the infotainment application may consist, for example, of defining a home address for a navigation system, of parameterizing an email account or of configuring an intranet access.
Furthermore, on the part of the motor vehicle, a first configuration data server which, relative to the equipment, is separate from the control unit, is provided which has a pertaining first configuration data bank for the vehicle-related storage of configuration data.
At a distance from the motor vehicle, a second configuration data server is provided in a stationary manner at a service center and has a pertaining second configuration data bank for the central storage of configuration data. A wireless communication connection exists between the first and the second configuration data server.
The service center can be operated, for example, by a vehicle manufacturer or OEM (original equipment manufacturer) and/or may be spatially arranged at this vehicle manufacturer or OEM.
The configuration data of the second configuration databank can be configured by way of at least two different modification interfaces. A significant difference between the at least two modification interfaces consists of the access rights which are granted to a party accessing the second configuration data bank by way of the respective modification interface during the access. By way of a first modification interface, the configuration data of the second configuration data bank can be modified by using first access rights; by way of a second modification interface, the configuration data of the second configuration data bank can be modified by using second access rights which differ from the first access rights.
The first modification interface is preferably implemented in a manner not based on the Internet. It is preferably implemented in a hard-wired manner, and preferably access can only take place to the second configuration data bank by a very specific arithmetic and logic unit and/or by a limited number of arithmetic and logic units, for example, by all arithmetic and logic units in a local hard-wired network, by way of the first modification interface. As an alternative or in addition, the first modification interface is preferably only accessible if corresponding first access data are available and utilized. The first modification interface is therefore particularly suitable for modifications of the second configuration data bank by a vehicle manufacturer or OEM.
For reasons of completeness, it should be noted that the first modification interface, in principle, may also be implemented on an Internet-based manner—even if it is mainly provided for modifications of the second configuration data bank by a vehicle manufacturer or OEM and if the service center is spatially arranged at the vehicle manufacturer's or OEM.
The second modification interface is implemented based on the Internet. It is preferably implemented on the basis of web technologies and/or client/server technologies known per se. According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, when corresponding second access data are available, a conventional PC connected with the Internet can access the second modification interface. The second modification interface is particularly suitable for modifications of the second configuration data bank by a fleet operator.
The first access rights and the second access rights can be defined in a disjunct fashion, i.e. such that a party accessing by way of the first modification interface can have access that differs completely from that of a party accessing by way of the second modification interface. However, there may also be a certain amount of intersecting or a certain overlapping of the access rights.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, in addition, a third (also Internet-based) modification interface of the second configuration data bank is provided by way of which configuration data of the second configuration data bank can be modified by means of access rights which again differ from the first and second access rights. The third modification interface is therefore suitable for modifications of the second configuration data bank by the user of fleet vehicles and/or service providers and/or application providers. However, such a modification interface may also be reserved for one of the above-mentioned user groups, while the other user groups are provided with their own Internet-based modification interfaces with their own access rights. The third modification interface and possibly additional modification interfaces are also preferably secured by corresponding access data.
Possible modifications of the configuration data of the second configuration data bank are recognized either on the part of the service center and/or on the part of the motor vehicle communicating with the service center. It is, for example, possible to implement a recognition of modifications of the configuration data of the second configuration data bank such that, after an access by way of one of the modification interfaces, the configuration data are considered to be changed. However, it may, for example, also be checked whether actually changing accesses have been carried out and/or the data status can be compared with an earlier data status with respect to changes.
Regularly (for example, cyclically), at defined points-in-time and/or upon the recognition of a change of the data status of the configuration data of the second configuration data bank (i.e. to an extent “in response” to the recognition), configuration data of the first configuration bank are changed by way of the wireless communication connection between the first and the second configuration data server. This takes place by use of configuration data from the second configuration data bank, preferably only by use of previously changed configuration data from the second configuration bank. Correspondingly, preferably not all, but only selected, configuration data of the first configuration data bank are changed, particularly those configuration data of the first configuration data bank which have a content-related connection with previously changed configuration data of the second configuration data bank.
By means of the thus changed configuration data from the first configuration data bank, by way of the configuration interface of the control unit, finally the functional scope and/or a basic setting of the infotainment application is changed. This can also take place either regularly (for example, cyclically) at defined points-in-time and/or upon the recognition of a change of the data status of the configuration data of the first configuration data bank (i.e. to an extent, “in response” to the recognition).
Preferably, a basic setting of the infotainment application is changed, and the basic setting is a basic setting relating to the administration of personal information management data. Correspondingly, the infotainment application preferably is an application which, —at least among other things—administers personal information management data, such as an email client.
The term “personal information management data”, which, in the meantime, has become established in technical circles, in this case, relates to electronically existing personal data, such as contacts, schedules, notes, documents, such as letters, faxes, SMS's, emails, RSS feeds as well as current correspondence, future further developments, supplements to and/or substitutions for such data.
In the described manner, such changes of the functional scope and/or basic setting of the infotainment application are preferably carried out which cannot be made by operating devices available in the motor vehicle, particularly not the “conventional operating devices” (push buttons, touchpad, keyboard, pressure/rotary controls, etc.) of the motor vehicle.
If required, implemented definitions of the functional scope and/or of the basic setting can, however, be indicated by means of operating devices available in the motor vehicle. If, for example, an email client is configured in the above-described manner, the settings (email server, account name, . . . ) for a vehicle occupant can be represented on a display unit but cannot be changed.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, by way of the wireless communication connection between the motor vehicle and the service center, data, particularly so-called certificate signing requests or other configuration-relevant and authentication-relevant data can be stored or are stored at the second configuration data service by the first configuration data server.
Such certificate signing requests with respect to a locally generated secret code are preferably previously stored by a control unit at “its” configuration interface, i.e. at the configuration interface assigned to it, and or at the configuration data server.
In certain cases, the secret access code is generated in the vehicle and never leaves the vehicle. The vehicle generates a “certificate signing request” which contains the pertaining public code. This certificate signing request has to be signed by the “certificate authority” relevant with respect to a certain access authorization and has to be transmitted as a certificate back into the vehicle. By means of this certificate and the secret code, the vehicle application then obtains access to, for example, the business data.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description of one or more preferred embodiments when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.